The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce succeeded—for now—in thwarting the will of 69% of Milwaukee’s voters today, when a Milwaukee County circuit court judge ruled that the voter-approved paid sick days ordinance is unconstitutional. Although MMAC admitted that the majority of its members provide paid sick days to their employees, the conservative business group ...

The ink on the state�s biennial budget is barely dry and we�re already talking about the 2010 budgets for the county and city. Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker had his department heads deliver their shocking news without much of a heads up (or participation by the public or the county supervisors) but Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett decided to confront the grim news heads on, in public, at the ...

MPS Board President Michael Bonds has submitted a letter to Mayor Tom Barrett announcing his decision to resign from Barrett�s appointed MPS Innovation and Improvement Advisory Committee �immediately.� I just got off the phone with Pat Curley, Barrett�s top aide, who hadn�t heard that Bonds had turned in his resignation letter. �We�re very,...

MPS Board President Michael Bonds resigned from Mayor Barrett’s MPS Innovation and Improvement Advisory Council yesterday, which seemed to catch Team Barrett off guard. Bonds’ abrupt announcement was to protest private conversations the mayor, Gov. Jim Doyle and state Superintendent Tony Evers have been having over taking over the elected MPS board—and selecting the next MPS superintendent. ...

I�m trying to gather some fresh information being reported about the horrible attack on Mayor Tom Barrett after he left State Fair last night. WTMJ and the Journal Sentinel are reporting that the suspect is in custody. Barrett is still in the hospital and in stable condition. He�s scheduled to have surgery today on broken bones on his right hand. It looks like he�ll l...

“Governor Jim Doyle will make a special announcement to the people of Wisconsin tomorrow, Monday, August 17, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.,” reads the press advisory from the governor’s office. But we all know what he’s going to announce, or at least some of what he’ll announce: he’s not going to run for re-election in 2010. I had a weird feeling about this even though...

Last week’s election of Michael Bonds as president of the Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors comes at a crucial time for MPS. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Gov. Jim Doyle are attempting to set up an advisory council to oversee MPS’s finances. An audit commissioned by the two men purported to show...

Is this the beginning of the end of the Milwaukee Public Schools? Yes, if you believe the hype promoted by the suburban business community, their representatives in the state Legislature, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who argue that MPS is so dysfunctional and wasteful that it can’t save itself. State Sen. Ted...

It seems to be the progressive (read: liberal) modus operandi is to provide citizens protection from themselves. As the eye of the nanny state falls on outdoor smoking, cell phones and driving, and the types of cars GM should produce, it has turned blind to the sick-pay ordinance passed in Milwaukee- one of the most heinous acts the citizenry has ever perpetrated upon itself. On November 4th, 2008, City of Milwaukee voters decided to give themselves nine paid sick days every year. The ordinance was placed on the Nov. 4th ballot for a reason.

Could 157,117 voters be wrong? On Election Day, 69% of Milwaukee voters supported mandating paid sick leave for workers at private companies in the city. But the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) is trying to reverse that decision. The business organization has filed a notice of claim...